The Josie Maran brand was founded by supermodel and former Maybelline spokesperson Josie Maran. Almost every Josie Maran product is centered on the ingredient argan oil, which the brand attributes many beneficial qualities—some of which are true, and some claims made stretch the facts a bit. According to the brand, this non-fragrant plant oil is said to do everything from reduce wrinkles to heal acne, while giving you younger-looking skin.

Argan oil does contain beneficial lipids and fatty acids for skin, as well as vitamin E and other antioxidants—but we should note that it isn't the only oil with such properties. Even more to the point, no single ingredient does it all for skin. It's just like your diet: if you eat only one type of food, you'd soon be malnourished. Skin is the body's largest organ, and it requires a variety of useful ingredients to look and function at its best.

Fortunately, the Josie Maran brand does include many beneficial ingredient’s in some of its best products, and does have some unique offerings to consider. It's worth pointing out also that although argan oil does have benefit for skin, it’s less beneficial to include it in products like eyeshadow and mascara. It does add a unique quality to some makeup, however, especially in a few of the brands lip formulas.

We should note that while the brand relies heavily on the natural theme in its marketing—and there isn’t anything wrong with that—it doesn’t talk about the beneficial ingredients used that aren’t so natural. There isn’t anything wrong with using naturally-derived ingredients, but it strikes us as disingenuous to not tout the benefits of synthetic ingredients such as silicones, preservatives, coloring agents and film formers that also appear in many of Josie Maran products.

As is the case with many brands that use predominantly natural ingredients, there are some fragrant oils to be wary of, as these can be problematic for any skin type (but especially so for those with sensitivity concerns). However, there are a few products here that are absolutely worth considering and unique—see our individual reviews on the brand for more details.

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